Cantilever-free scanning probe microscopy

Abstract

A system includes a probe assembly, a camera, and a control system. The probe assembly includes a rigid substrate, a compliant layer provided on the rigid substrate, one or more rigid probes can be arranged on the compliant layer to cover at least a portion of the compliant layer, and a reflective layer can cover the one or more rigid probes and uncovered portions of the compliant layer. The camera is configured to generate image data from the probe assembly. The control system is configured to receive image data from the camera and develop a topographical image of a surface of a sample, based at least in part on the received image data.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system, comprising:
 a probe assembly, including
 a rigid substrate, 
 a compliant layer provided on the rigid substrate, 
 one or more rigid probes coupled to at least a portion of a top surface of the compliant layer, and 
 a reflective layer covering portions of the top surface of the compliant layer, 
 
 a camera configured to generate image data from the probe assembly; 
 a memory storing machine-readable instructions; and 
 a control system including one or more processors configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to:
 receive the generated image data; and 
 develop a topographical image of a surface of a sample based at least in part on the received image data generated by the camera. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid substrate includes sapphire, glass, or quartz. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the compliant layer includes polydimethylsiloxane or synthetic rubbers. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reflective layer includes aluminum, gold, chrome, or titanium. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the control system is further configured to execute the machine-readable instructions to raster scan the surface of the sample to obtain a plurality of frames, wherein the image data includes the plurality of frames. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein developing the topographical image includes determining field of view images associated with each of the rigid probes in the probe assembly. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein developing the topographical image includes stitching together field of view images associated with each of the rigid probes in the probe assembly. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein overlapping regions in the field of view images are used in aligning the field of view images prior to stitching the field of view images together. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 6 , wherein developing the topographical image includes height correction. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 6 , wherein developing the topographical image include despeckling. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 6 , wherein developing the topographical image includes desharpening. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the generated image data includes at least one frame indicating locations of the one or more rigid probes as areas with lowest intensity. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1 , wherein indentation of a first probe in the one or more probes deforms a localized surface of the probe assembly, with maximum deformation occurring closer to the first probe. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein a magnitude of indentation of the first probe is inversely proportional to light intensity around the first probe that is captured by the camera. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein a relationship of the inverse proportionality is linear. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 1 , wherein arrangement of the one or more probes, relative to each other, determines a scan size when the camera generates the image data from the probe assembly. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more rigid probes are directly coupled to the compliant layer. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reflective layer covers all of the top surface of the compliant layer, and the one or more rigid probes are arranged on the reflective layer to cover at least a portion of a top surface of the reflective layer, the one or more rigid probes being indirectly coupled to the compliant layer. 
     
     
       19. A probe assembly for atomic force microscopy, including:
 a rigid substrate; 
 a compliant layer provided on the rigid substrate; 
 one or more rigid probes coupled to least a portion of a top surface of the compliant layer; and 
 a reflective layer covering portions of the top surface of the compliant layer, 
 wherein bringing the probe assembly in contact with a top surface of a sample causes the one or more rigid probes to deform the compliant layer, an extent of deformation by each of the one or more rigid probes being proportional to a localized height at the top surface of the sample. 
 
     
     
       20. The probe assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the rigid substrate includes sapphire, glass, or quartz. 
     
     
       21. The probe assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the compliant layer includes polydimethylsiloxane or synthetic rubbers. 
     
     
       22. The probe assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the reflective layer includes aluminum, gold, chrome, or titanium. 
     
     
       23. The probe assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more rigid probes are directly coupled to the compliant layer. 
     
     
       24. The probe assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the reflective layer covers all of the top surface of the compliant layer, and the one or more rigid probes are arranged on the reflective layer to cover at least a portion of a top surface of the reflective layer, the one or more rigid probes being indirectly coupled to the compliant layer. 
     
     
       25. A method for fabricating a probe assembly, comprising:
 spinning a compliant layer on top of a rigid substrate; 
 curing the combination of the compliant layer and the rigid substrate; 
 providing one or more rigid probes on the compliant layer to cover portions of a top surface of the compliant layer, and 
 depositing a reflective layer on the one or more printed rigid probes and uncovered portions of the top surface of the compliant layer. 
 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the rigid substrate includes sapphire, glass, or quartz. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the compliant layer includes polydimethylsiloxane or synthetic rubbers. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the reflective layer includes aluminum, gold, chrome, or titanium. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 25 , the rigid probes have a conical shape, a cylindrical shape, or both. 
     
     
       30. A method for fabricating a probe assembly, comprising:
 spinning a compliant layer on top of a rigid substrate; 
 curing the combination of the compliant layer and the rigid substrate; 
 depositing a reflective layer on the compliant layer; and 
 providing one or more rigid probes on the reflective layer to cover portions of a top surface of the reflective layer.